In the two and a half years or so since this Topic has been on going I have actually made a lot of progress with this project. This though would not have been possible without the help of others, some of whom have posted in this topic. This help has been very much appreciated.

Dave Felton who founded BWRE has actually written quite a comprehensive history of that Society including details of the amalgamation that created the NCTS in 1970. I myself have now been able to compile similar for the NCTS although a few grey areas still exist where clarifications and additional information is still sought. Lists exist of trips run by both BWRE and NCTS and for the later some lists of locations visited and locomotives seen now exist electronically but we would like to have a few more.

The majority of BWRE and NCTS magazines have been scanned but a few editions have so far eluded us. Similarly the majority of booklets produced from 1972 onwards have been scanned but again not all have been traced. Earlier publications under the Viva Transport Publications and BWRE names are proving much harder to locate.

If you were a NCTS member and have not already made contact, please do so as you just might have recollections or something squirrelled away that would help enhance what has already been achieved.

My name is Graham Howarth and my brother is Alan Howarth from Preston. I was a member and on the committee of NCTS. I also was a member of the ICRS a spin off from Dalescroft. I even went on a SYRS coach trip to South Wales on July 24/25th 1976. SYRS were of course a spin-off from NCTS.

Superb to hear from you especially as I understand you now live some what further away from Preston than the NCTS reached on any of its trips.

It was a real struggle at first to find former members but an increasing number are now coming forward and an increasingly comprehensive archive and history is coming together. My guess from these posts is that you will have much to add.

A favourite memory is Alan Fawcett (who could sell sand to the Arabs) bullshitting his way around Croxley Green Depot at about 2.00am one very early Saturday morning. After a pint in the 3 magpies , then around Tinsley and Toton and then south on the M1 we decided to call at Croxley Green which I had never been around.

His fav trick was to wear his scout masters uniform and say he had a coach load of boy scouts and appeal to the depot foreman. Don't remember him failing very often.